Friday, October 03, 2014
It is a simple question
It is a simple question, where are you from? My answer is complicated. I have lived in five states and at the moment, don't feel a strong connection to any of them. I have been reading a book by a college student from Kansas who was awarded a scholarship to study in France for a year, and spent the year homesick for Kansas. Where would I feel homesick for? I was born in Michigan. Before the first grade I had visited Florida and Arizona. I went to half of the first grade on Phoenix. My parents were farmers in a seasonal farming operation in Michigan and my father was trying to escape the cold Michigan winters. Phoenix didn't work well and we didn't do that again until I was in the 8th grade. That is when my snowbird years began, I would start school in Michigan in September, in late October early November we would go to Florida, I would go to school in Florida, in late March we would go back to Michigan. I did that the rest of the way through high school. I left Michigan the fall after finishing High School and moved to Florida. For a couple of years I ran around saying, "back home we did it a different way." After a while people convinced me that they really don't care how you do it back home. I thought I would stay in Florida forever. I grew frustrated with the work I was doing and I fell in love. When sweetie bear was offered the job in Kentucky, I readily agreed to move. It was a fresh break and a chance to go back to school. I lived in Kentucky for 13 years. I adjusted well, but responded to where are you from, with, I live here but I am not from around here. Almost six years ago, I moved to northern Virginia, for the job in DC. I rented for a while, I have owned the condo for almost five years and it still does not register as home. So where am I from? No place that I feel homesick for.
Interesting post. I have to wonder if our conversation had anything to do with this! I think I made a post like this a long time ago. I get you.
ReplyDeleteNot interesting...GREAT POST!
Peace <3
Jay
I can relate to your experience, I moved some 40 times in 58 years. Went to so many schools in different cities and then my work took me around the world. When I retired I came back to the Capital Ottawa but is it home, no not really. Though I was born in Montreal and my family is from that city, I have not lived there in 40 years. I really never know what to answer to the question where are you from.
ReplyDeleteI am philadelphia born and bred and damn proud of it. period.
ReplyDeleteeven when I lived in the DC burbs from 79-99, philadelphia was ALWAYS home.
and while I do like to get away and see other places, I will forever call philadelphia HOME.
David,
ReplyDeleteInteresting subject for a post of my own. I lived in Pennsylvania all my life and thought I would miss it when I moved to the nearby sate of Delaware. I don't miss Pennsylvania at all. I love Delaware. I may have one more move in me, probably California. We'll see. One thing for sure, I will never again live in a state that has laws that legalize discrimination against gays.
Ron
Yes nicely written
ReplyDeleteFrom a Welshman.....who has lived in Yorkshire most of his life... Now back in wales
When asked I always think of where I grew up as where I am from.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough as a kid to be moved around so much and disturbs that notion of "where you are from".
While I didn't move as often as you did, there were 5 moves for me and my family up to when I turned 14. The good thing is these moves were within a small geographical area, within one metropolitan area of VA. Better yet, I attended a private school so moving didn't disrupt where I went to school at least. Not that I like my school but it was a constant in my life. ;-)
I consider the Hampton Roads area of VA where I am from.
I have lived also in Baltimore and since marrying in Northern NJ and now in 2 different locations in Northeastern PA....PA for a total of 28 years now but I plan to move once Hubs retires.
I guess now I should say I am from PA since I have lived here longer than any other place. lol
I think this state of being must be both liberating and sad at times as well.
ReplyDeleteMy family has lived in the same place for seven generations; my parents have lived in the same house for 4o years. "home' is quite solid for me.
Born and raised in Cape May N.J.
ReplyDeleteThat is home. Need to be near the water